Isinkwe Safaris Bush Camp

Leafy forests, Big Five safaris and nothing to disturb your calm but the calls of the wild… If that sounds like your idea of blissed-out hols, sink into zen mode at Isinkwe Safaris Bush Camp, 10 minutes’ drive from the town of Hluhluwe in the East Coast region of KwaZulu-Natal.

On the Elephant Coast, the site is in a particularly scenic part of the bush. If you’re keen to explore, follow the three-kilometre self-guided Galago nature trail through the site, keeping eyes and ears open for birds, antelope, tortoises and mongooses, or head into Hluhluwe to sign up for a horse safari.

Of course, safaris are the big game around here (sorry), so the very best way to explore is on a fully-guided tour of Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Game Park, the oldest formally protected area in Africa. Up your wildlife-spotting game with eyes peeled for the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo), as well as hippos, crocs, giraffes and zebra.

Cool off in the pool after dusty days in the bush, then when you’re ready for some munch head to the on-site canteen at Africa Bush Junction (be sure to book for breakfast and dinner) and settle in for eats with your fellow diners – the bush babies that are regular visitors to the site. You could also look after yourself with evening stops at the communal boma (barbecue) or the self-catering kitchen and, once you’ve eaten your fill, can wash it all down with a drink or two at the poolside bar.